Africa & Middle East Textiles issue 4 2014/ 1 2015

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ISSUE FOUR 2014 / ISSUE ONE 2015 QUATRIÈME EDITION 2014 / PREMIÈME EDITION 2015

Dyes and Chemicals set for growth Teintures et produits chimiques prêts pour la croissance

Spotlight on Egypt The growth of Uganda’s textile industry NC Cutting Pleins feux sur l’Egypte La croissance de l’industrie textile de l’Ouganda Techniques de coupe à commande numérique

Germany gears up for Techtextil and Texprocess in May 2015

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CONTENTS Developments

4

News, updates and market reports

Developpements

4

Revue des récents projets textiles, marchés, contrats

Spotlight on Egypt

6

The impact of the latest developments on the processing sector

7

The East African country’s attempts to streamline the industry

12

Teintures et produits chimiques

12

La dépendance du marché textile sur les teintures et les produits chimiques

16

The latest fair on processing textiles and flexible materials

NC Cutting

La croissance de l’industrie textile de l’Ouganda 7 Les essais du pays de l’Afrique de l’est de rationaliser l’industrie

The textile market’s reliance on dyes and chemicals

Texprocess 2015

6

L’impact de l’évolution récente sur le secteur de traitement

The growth of Uganda’s textile industry Dyes and Chemicals

Plein feux sur l’Egypte

Texprocess 2015

16

La dernière foire sur le traitement des textiles et des matériaux flexibles

20

The latest cutting methods in the market

Techniques de coupe à commande numérique 20 Les dernières méthodes de coupe dans le marché

Cover: Coloured threads Inset: Techtextil 2015

Cover: Fils colorés Inset: Techtextil 2015

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NEWS IN BRIEF South African delegation pushes for extension of AGOA

A SOUTH AFRICAN delegation that went to the USA in March 2015 has urged to make the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to be extended by an additional 15 years. Many African leaders feel that the act, which was passed by the USA Congress in May 2000, has allowed several African countries to develop greatly but many more are yet to reap benefits.

With Africa poised to become a global textile and clothing platform, the extension of the act could prove beneficial, added leaders.

BOAD raises US$187mn to support Benin’s cotton season

THE WEST AFRICAN Development Bank (BOAD) has raised US$187mn to support the cotton season in Benin. An agreement was signed between BOAD and the Beninese government in February 2014 with the aim of mobilising funds for the country’s 2014-15 cotton season.

Members of the banking pool include ECOBANK (Agent Bank), BOA, Banque Atlantique, BGFI, Diamond Bank, BSIC and UBA. In addition to its role as an arranger, BOAD will provide financing amounting to US$40mn to the operation. Funds mobilised will be used to cover financial needs during the 201415 cotton season, including cotton purchase from producers, ginning as well as storage, evacuation and marketing of cotton fibre and by-products.

Alvanon launches apparel project in Middle East

APPAREL FIT COMPANY Alvanon carried out the first ever garment sizing, fit and development project in the Middle East. The project, commissioned by retail majors such as Splash and Iconic, entailed an empirical size survey of customers living in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Jeddah, Riyadh and Qatar. Based on the results, Splash and Iconic have launched their first “fit” accredited ranges based on new core body standards for the men’s and women’s range.

Indian company plans US$15bn investments in textile and renewable sectors

THE WELSPUN GROUP is planning investments close to US$15bn over the next three years in renewable energy and textiles, stated CNBC-TV18. The group has plans to expand its presence in the Middle East and Japanese textile markets, and seeks to play a role in India by increasing its textile and apparel share in world trade from the current 4.5 per cent, to eight per cent, earning US$80bn by 2020. BK Goenka, chairman of the Welspun Group, said that that India’s Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act (MNREGA) should be utilised for skill development in the textile industry.

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TEXTILE CALENDAR / CALENDRIER April 7-9

Texworld Istanbul Spring 2015

Istanbul, Turkey

www.messefrankfurt.com.tr

24

Fashion Africa Conference 2015

London, UK

events@africafashionguide.com

26 - 27

International Textile Fair

Dubai, UAE

www.internationaltextilefair.com

May 4-7

Techtextil 2015/ Texprocess

Frankfurt, Germany

www.techtextil.messefrankfurt.com

June 15 - 18

ShanghaiTex

Pudong, China

www.shanghaitex.cn/en

25 - 27

Heimtextil India 2015

New Delhi, India

www.heimtextil-india.in.messefrankfurt.com

July 9 - 11

Intertextile Pavilion Shenzhen 2015

Shenzhen, China

www.intertextile-pavilion-shenzhen.hk.messefrankfurt.com

August 26 - 28

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles 2015

Shanghai, China

www.intertextilehome.com

September 10 - 12

ITMF Annual Conference 2015

San Francisco, USA

www.itmf.org

14 - 17

Apparelsourcing Paris Autumn 2015

Paris, France

www.apparelsourcing.messefrankfurt.com

21 - 23

HOMETEX 2015

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

www.hometexamsterdam.nl

23 - 25

Heimtextil Russia 2015

Moscow, Russia

www.heimtextil.ru

24 - 26

Techtextil India 2015

New Delhi, India

www.techtextil-india.in.messefrankfurt.com

October 21 - 23

Origin Africa 2015

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

www.origin-africa.org

21 - 23

Africa Sourcing & Fashion Week

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

www.asfw-online.com

November 12 - 19

ITMA 2015

Fiera Milano, Italy

www.itma.com

Further information on these events can usually be obtained from the Embassy (Commercial Office) of the country in question.

Des renseignements plus complets sur ces évènements peuvent être demandés de l’Ambassade (Bureau Commerciel) du pays en question

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST TEXTILES ISSUE FOUR 2014 / ONE 2015

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TEXTILE NEWS South Africa to grow recyclable grass DUTCH AWEARNESS, A sustainable textile company, has launched an initiative to cultivate a type of grass that can be used to create zero-waste recyclable textiles.

Miscanthus or elephant grass contains a high amount of cellulose, which can be utilised to create viscose rayon. After use, it can be converted back into cellulose. The material is meant to have a low impact on the environment, can be easily cultivated in various climates and recycled repeatedly.

The new grass is being developed by the University of Wageningen. However, the ‘Grass for Sustainable Growth’ programme would take place in Johannesburg with the planting of 1,500 ha of miscanthus in Eastern Cape.

A consortium comprising Dutch aWEARness, Ekcon and AlternaFruit is backing the initiative. The project is part of the Black Economic Empowerment initiative, supported by the South African government and the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs.

American university invests US$20mn in South African textile industry to rebuild sector THE UNIVERSITY OF Delaware’s Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies has decided to invest US$20mn in South Africa’s textile industry, in order to boost competitiveness and minimise environmental impact in the region.

The money would help establish the Southern African Sustainable Textile and Apparel Cluster, which will focus on reducing carbon footprint associated with the processes in supply chain.

Experts and graduate students from the department have been offering their research expertise in order to advance the project, collecting data on labour standards, environmental practices, and supply chain operations. They will also be looking at the chain from a global perspective and monitoring the environmental impact of imported

materials, added university officials.

Marsha Dickson, professor of human services and head of the fashion department, said, “The goal of the competitiveness grant is to allow whatever is implemented to continue and thrive after we leave, so there’s a need to develop domestic expertise at universities there.”

The idea was floated with the South African cotton farmers, who felt the need to revive and expand employment opportunities through farming, added Dickson. They thought that a focus on environmental and social responsibility would be a good way to rebuild the sector, which was affected due to the easy availability of inferior quality exports, post the apartheid era, stated officials from the University of Delaware.

East African Community set to promote textile and tanner industries

HEADS OF MEMBER states of the East African Community (EAC) have agreed to set up a mechanism that will promote the growth and protection of the textile and tanner industries in the region.

Harrison Mwakyembe, minister of the East African Cooperation, said that the East African region was committed to effectively utilising the potential in the textile industry, and reduce dependence on the imports of second-hand goods. The council of ministers will work out modalities to enhance implementation of the agreement, he added.

Guaranteeing that there would be no hindrance to the socio-economic and political stability, Mwakyembe said that the agreement was intended to foster trade within the community and beyond.

Ethiopia and Kenya favourites for sourcing apparel

MAJOR RETAIL BRANDS such as Walmart’s Asda, Primark, Tesco, Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) Phillips Van Heusen and Tchibo are sourcing apparel from Ethiopia and Kenya, stated Textile Outlook International. In addition, brands such as Marks & Spencer, VF and Zara are in the process of establishing offices in Ethiopia.

Between 2010-11, the employment figures in the apparel industry in Ethiopia doubled to 11,716, while textile and apparel export earnings rose from US$12.6mn to US$111mn. The Ethiopian and Kenyan governments are creating favourable conditions to attract investors. For instance, Kanoria Africa Textile Plc, established by Indians,

has begun production of yarn for the manufacturing of denim fabric. The company procured an investment licence and built a factory in Bishoftu, eastern Addis Ababa across an area of 155,000 sqm.

Jay Soyanter, marketing vice-president of the company, said the factory would employ 600 people and produce both yarn and denim for textile and garment factories. The factory was established with a capital of US$35mn.

In Kenya, as many as 46 apparel manufacturing industrial projects were approved by Kenya Industrial Estates in 2013. This was a record level and was more than double the annual average of 19 projects approved for the period 2009-12.

mPedigree launches Goldkeys Technology to combat textile piracy in Ghana

MOBILE AND WEB technology developer mPedigree has launched the Goldkeys Technology in an attempt to put an end to textile piracy.

Ghana’s Premium African Textiles (PAT) has decided to use the Goldkeys Technology Application for its wax prints, stated company officials. The new technology will enable consumers to authenticate the prints through a free Short Message Service (SMS) of a unique security code under a scratch panel on each pack. PAT’s SMSauthentication programme will be powered by mPedigree Network’s Goldkeys technologies such as Acodion and Signet.

According to Stephen Badu, marketing director of PAT, the technology would become a “permanent mark of quality” that would help distinguish the company’s signature prints in the marketplace. The SMS with the unique verification code ensures authenticity. (Image source: Goldkeys.org)

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST TEXTILES ISSUE FOUR 2014 / ONE 2015

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SPOTLIGHT ON EGYPT

Will Egypt’s reforms be enough?

By Robert Adams The government’s comprehensive changes for the processing sector, announced a few months ago, are meant to slow imports and halt the shift away from production of long-staple cotton

A

GAINST THE BACKDROP of industrial unrest and protests about fuel subsidy reductions, the government announced a major plan to revitalise the struggling public sector of Egypt’s textile processing industry. The problem is that the resulting subsidies and bail outs are being directed at the spinning and weaving industries, not at the struggling cotton farmers who have to pay for tractor fuel and other inputs. The prices they receive are still going nowhere.

The consequence may be that even less locally produced ultra-fine cotton may be available for further processing as the growers continue their switch to other crops, resulting in even higher imports of inferior grades of lint and fabrics, and more job opportunities lost in basic processing.

Along with the still-thriving clothing business this remains Egypt’s second largest industry even though the cotton acreage has shrunk to a fraction of what it was just half a century ago.

So, “Is the reform programme announced in the summer enough?” is the question being asked in the business houses of Cairo and Alexandria.

On the face of it – considering the social turmoil the country has been going through – the textile and clothing industries have been doing surprisingly well in an increasingly tough trading world. According to the WTO’s latest global figures*, Egypt’s clothing exports have been keeping well above the US$1.2bn/year level

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“Even though cotton acreage has shrunk to a fraction of what it was just half a century ago, the industry remains Egypt’s second largest (US$1.55bn in 2011) while imports may have stopped growing at last. Additionally, there’s still a healthy US$0.8bn annual national trade surplus enjoyed by the labour-intensive business, fuelled by exports to both Europe and the USA. Western import trade in garments from all sources fell in the last recorded year, so this was no mean achievement at a troubled time.

Meanwhile textile exports have continued to develop unsteadily, growing from US$1.29bn in 2010 to US$1.37bn in 2012 with a recent peak of US$1.52bn in between; from 2011 to 2012 the total world market for these basic products slumped by more than three percentage points. At the same time, Egypt’s textile imports have continued more or less on the level, although exceeding exports by more than US$0.9bn in the last complete recorded year (2012). However, back in 2000, Egypt imported a mere US$0.2bn-worth.

The overall verdict is that figures were good, but could have been “considerably worse”.

External advisors have been saying for years that the spinners and weavers were already far too dependent on government support, yet the share of local fibre in the processing mix has continued to fall. Significant fabric consumers, most of them members of the private sector-dominated garment industry, have meanwhile been choosing to source their supplies from lower-cost and arguably more reliable fabric sources such as India and further east. That’s the way the consumer market is heading anyway; Egypt’s ultra-high thread-count sheeting and shirting being little in demand outside Europe, the USA and (increasingly) the Gulf.

So just how another support programme will change all this remains to be seen, especially as the plans as announced involve relocation of some of the largest under-performing mills to the growing industrial zones so the land they occupy can be reallocated for housing in the teeming metropolises.

The fear is that instead of rebooting the textile industry the new subsidies will simply be swallowed up in meeting higher labour and electricity costs, which are already the key problems faced by the fibre-processing industry anyway. In the absence of any other long-term strategy, cotton cultivation in Lower Egypt could cease altogether. ❑ *International Trade Statistics 2013

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST TEXTILES ISSUE FOUR 2014 / ONE 2015

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COUNTRY FOCUS Fine Spinners Uganda Limited to provide a new lease of life to Uganda’s cotton textile industry UGANDA’S TEXTILE INDUSTRY got a new lease of life through the commissioning of the Fine Spinners Uganda Limited in Bugolobi, Kampala.

The new firm is part of the Ugandan government’s initiative, which has aided the revival of the country’s once-booming cotton agriculture production.

Speaking at the ceremony, President Yoweri Museveni said, “We have had creepers who have made the efforts of the NRM government to revive the production sector difficult.”

The President also referred to certain government officials as “investment detractors” because of whom investors have faced hardships trying to establish a presence in the country. “Implementers have got it clear that its not wise to delay investments , even if its for three days. The delay is going to be a thing of the past . We cannot allow cotton to be exported and lack raw materials.”

Museveni assured the directors at Fine Spinners’ of the continued supply of raw materials to the factory, which would sustain production of cotton products for local consumption as well as for exports.

“To produce one million bales of cotton, we need 5,000 farmers, which we can handle. There are no obstacles that we cannot solve,” said Museveni.

The president added that government-owned electricity producers will generate power for manufacturers at an affordable cost of five cents per unit, instead of eleven cents charged by private companies.

Although Uganda was at the forefront of negotiating for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) project in Africa, it has not benefited as anticipated.

AGOA was signed into law by former USA president Bill Clinton in 2000 to expand trade and investment with countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Among the countries shortlisted was Uganda.

“Kenya earns US$300mn from per year, South Africa US$260mn, Lesotho US$320mn and Mauritius US$187mn. Yet, Uganda earns less than five million dollars a year. With Fine Spinners , this is changing and we are removing all the bottlenecks”, Museveni said.

“Although I am happy, that other countries African countries are benefiting , I would have been happier if Uganda benefited too because we fought for it”, he added.

With a reliable investor like Fine Spinners, Musaveni is confident that the tide will turn in favour of Uganda’s textile industry. He had earlier tried to bring onboard investors from Sri Lanka and Libya investors but nothing materialised in favour of the East African nation.

Speaking at the same occasion, the director of Fine Spinners Jaswinder

President Yoweri Museveni, accompanied by his wife at the launch of Fine Spinners Uganda Limited. The factory is located in Bugolobi, Kampala.

(Picture credit: Twitter @KagutaMuseveni)

Bedi said the new industry would add value to Uganda’s cotton lint 15 times and that the country would earn more revenue for the same cotton.

He added that the investment, when fully operational in two years, would help bring in on contract 30,000 small holder farmers in the country in addition to 3,000 workers.

“We will manufacture finished products and export 90 per cent of products to Europe, USA, Canada, Australia , Japan , COMESA and the East Africa Economic blocks, where we have a competitive advantage with dutyfree market access,” Bedi said.

He said the encouragement to invest in Uganda was prompted by the Uganda National Textile Policy, signed by president Museveni in 2009 which offers incentives to investment in the cotton textile value chain.

The first phase of the industry has cost the company US$40mn and the next phase, beginning in 2017, will cost US$20mn. The president also pledged to grow cotton if farmers don’t “seize the opportunity.”

In addition, Museveni received a souvenir – a T-shirt – the first of its kind made of Ugandan cotton as part of the launching ceremony.

– Moses Kalisa Seruwagi

Possible revival of Uganda’s private textile industry, says President Museveni

UGANDA’S PRESIDENT YOWERI Museveni hinted the possibility of the NRM government to revive the privatised textile industries.

Speaking at the commissioning of the Uganda Police Force garment factory at Port Bell Road in Kampala, the first of its kind in the country, Museveni drew examples from Chinese government companies and said the government would consider repossessing the parastatals.

A Chinese company, Chinese Poly Technologies Inc. donated the equipment worth US$ 800,000 to the police force to start a clothing factory.

The factory will enable the police to produce their own uniforms and at a later stage, supply other security organisations.

“The Chinese company is not a private company but a government-owned one. In

Uganda, we also had government companies, but because of mismanagement,” Museveni said.

In the early 1990s, the government privatised the parastatals under Public Enterprises Restructuring and Divestiture Act. “But all is not lost. Going by the example of the Chinese companies and given that the situation has improved, we can start new ones slowly,” he said.

He added “the factory has employed women who would otherwise be unemployed . This is a good start of a long journey. I am also happy to note that the facility will reduce the import cost of uniforms from US$27 to US$24 each.”

Museveni expressed gratitude towards the Chinese company that facilitated of the construction of the factory and training of police officers’ spouses .

“I would like to thank China for not only

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST TEXTILES ISSUE FOUR 2014 / ONE 2015

trading with Uganda but also assisting Africa and I hope to do more work with Poly Technologies,” he said.

Gen Kale Kayihura, inspector general of police, had earlier said the country was not benefiting from its production of the best cotton.

“We produce the best cotton in the world, export it , and import it in a more expensive form.

This was not logical. We should be able to save about US$335,910.”

He noted that the factory , which currently has a capacity of producing 100 uniforms per day, will with time be able to produce more than 200 uniforms per day.

Kayihura said the police force spends over US$2mn to meet the uniforms needs of its 43,000 personnel. Each officer is entitled to two pairs of uniforms per year.

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PLEINS FEUX SUR L’AFRIQUE DU SUD

Lueur d’espoir en Afrique du Sud par Robert Adams Après des années de retranchement, l'industrie contre-attaque. L'année dernière, les exportations ont été étonnamment bonnes LUS DE DIX années de stagnation des salaires, de suppression d’emplois et de fermetures d’usines se sont écoulées, mais il ne fait aucun doute aujourd’hui que l’industrie sud-africaine du textile et de l’habillement est en pleine reprise. Cependant, il reste d’énormes problèmes à résoudre concernant la poursuite du remplacement des importations, avant que l’industrie puisse apporter sa participation, traditionnellement considérable, à l’augmentation de la prospérité nationale.

La bonne nouvelle, c'est que l’économie (le pays est considéré comme l’une des nations BRICS à forte croissance) se porte bien et que la communauté internationale voit à nouveau l’Afrique du Sud comme une cible d’investissement intéressante. Tandis que la croissance s'accélère, l'inflation et les taux de base continuent de baisser, et l'affaiblissement du rand a aidé les exportateurs à renforcer leur compétitivité au cours de l'année écoulée, en particulier du fait de l'augmentation rapide des coûts de production en Chine.

Dans ces industries en particulier, le redressement doit beaucoup aux programmes à long terme mis en place par l’État pour restaurer la compétitivité dans les secteurs du textile et de l’habillement ainsi que dans les domaines associés. Mais la majeure partie de la consommation reste le fait des classes moyennes, qui achètent principalement des vêtements fraîchement sortis d’usine, et le taux de chômage longue durée continue d’atteindre des niveaux inacceptables. C'est la « croissance économique sans emplois », comme l'a si bien écrit le « South African » il y a quelques semaines.

Cependant, « une lueur d’espoir est en train de naître » a confié un porte-parole du gouvernement au journal concurrent « Cape Times » en mars.

Ils sont en baisse, certes, mais les secteurs du textile et de l’habillement contribuent de manière importante à la création d’emplois, surtout parmi les femmes. En août, l'OMC a publié d'excellents chiffres concernant les performances commerciales de 2013. Les exportations de textiles ont presque doublé par rapport à l'année précédente, passant à 425 millions de dollars US, et l'industrie

P

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Elle pense que l'industrie locale dispose d'un avantage clé sur la concurrence étrangère

étrangère de l'habillement a fait encore mieux, faisant plus que tripler son chiffre d'affaires (503 millions de dollars US). Pour les deux, ces résultats étaient les meilleurs depuis des années, bien que les importations continuent de dépasser largement les exportations et que les matières sans valeur ajoutée, comme la laine et le coton, jouent un rôle important dans les flux commerciaux.

Particulièrement stimulantes, les mesures de soutien officielles susmentionnées, notamment le Programme d’investissement dans le secteur manufacturier et le système d’incitation à la production, arrivent malheureusement en fin de course.

La Fédération du textile reconnaît que ses membres sont passés du statut d’un des plus importants employeurs sectoriels d’Afrique du Sud à celui de perdant, dépendant désormais des importations de coton pour maintenir les usines qu'il leur reste, insuffisamment performantes, en activité. Cependant, dans la force du marché local de la vente au détail, elle aussi voit poindre de nombreuses lueurs d’espoir.

D'un autre côté, la Fédération nationale de l'habillement a récemment parlé d'un marché national en croissance, mais toujours hautement concurrentiel, qui a maintenant pour priorité la « gestion des risques inhérents à la mode » par le remplacement des

importations - mais également le soutien des producteurs locaux, bien évidemment.

Elle pense que l'industrie locale dispose d'un avantage clé sur la concurrence étrangère. Il s’agit du délai extrêmement court (quelques jours à peine) d'introduction des articles « tendance » signalés depuis Milan et Paris et demandés peu après dans les grands centres commerciaux de la nation arc-en-ciel.

Néanmoins, « les fournisseurs locaux subissent une pression croissante due aux coûts d’exploitation toujours plus élevés, à la cherté des matières premières et au manque d’investissement dans la technologie afin de rester compétitifs par rapport à leurs homologues internationaux ».

Par conséquent, « assurer la durabilité de la base d’approvisionnement locale » est considéré comme l’un de ses principaux objectifs, a ajouté le groupe de détail. La Fédération représente les intérêts de 80 000 salariés du commerce de l’habillement, y compris de nombreux fabricants de la région Est du Cap. À l'heure actuelle, le risque de crédit est perçu comme un problème secondaire, mais particulier.

Cependant, il reste une question épineuse à résoudre – l’incertitude concernant le maintien de l’Afrique du Sud dans l’African Growth & Opportunity Act, loi approuvée par le Congrès américain portant sur la

TEXTILES AFRIQUE ET MOYEN ORIENT 4ÈME EDITION 2014 / 1ÈRE EDITION 2015

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PLEINS FEUX SUR L’AFRIQUE DU SUD l'ensemble des salons commerciaux sur lesquels nous sommes tombés récemment concernent les secteurs de la conception et de la vente au détail.

Le salon annuel « 100% Design South Africa » de Johannesburg a fermé ses portes le 10 août - c’est l'endroit idéal pour rencontrer à la fois tissus et habillement, mais parmi bien d'autres gammes de produits, évidemment. Le salon « Garments & Textiles » se tiendra à Johannesburg du 13 au 15 novembre ; les lecteurs sont appelés à noter qu’il vise essentiellement à l'achat de vêtements provenant de Chine. Un salon complémentaire « Accessoires de mode » se tiendra simultanément à proximité de celui-ci. Le « World Retail Congress Africa » aura lieu à Johannesburg les 18 et 19 novembre.

Finalement, le vaste salon commercial SAITEX ne se tiendra pas avant juin de l'année prochaine.

Les premières publications susmentionnées l'ont bien résumé le 13 août.

Selon une publication sud-africaine, l’économie sud-africaine souffre du « syndrome du bus à deux étages », les classes moyennes qui soutiennent le commerce de détail de l’habillement étant solidement installées à l’étage supérieur. L’ennui, c’est que « le bus n’a pas d’escalier ». ❑

au regard de ce qui précède l'ensemble des salons commerciaux sur lesquels nous sommes tombés récemment concernent les secteurs de la conception et de la vente au détail

toute façon être renouvelé l'an prochain.

A contrario, l’Afrique du Sud a quelques bons amis au Capitole, comme le Corporate Council on Africa, et l’AGOA est moins important pour les exportateurs de vêtements locaux qu’il ne l’est pour d’autres états subsahariens.

Où pourrons-nous voir les produits des industries sud-africaines du textile et de l’habillement réunis sous un seul et même toit au cours de la prochaine saison ? Bien évidemment, au regard de ce qui précède,

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TEXTILES AFRIQUE ET MOYEN ORIENT 4ÈME EDITION 2014 / 1ÈRE EDITION 2015

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Brother Internationale Industriemaschinen GmbH Düsseldorfer Straße 7-9 D-46446 Emmerich am Rhein

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croissance et les opportunités économiques en Afrique. Il s’agit d’un régime commercial préférentiel non réciproque, qui facilite les exportations de vêtements vers le plus grand marché unique d’habillement au monde.

Lors du sommet Afrique-États-Unis qui s’est tenu récemment, les relations avec Washington n’étaient pas au beau fixe, et beaucoup craignent que l’Afrique du Sud emboîte le pas au Swaziland et sorte complètement du système global de promotion des exportations – lequel doit de

Phone: +(49)-(0) 2822 / 6 09 - 0 Fax: +(49)-(0) 2822 / 6 09 - 50 E-Mail: info@brother-ism.com We eb: www.brother--industrial.com

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TEXTILE NEWS Innovent product covers four applications FRENCH COMPANY DHJ International, specialised in textile coating, has recently launched its new product Innovent, which is designed to cover four core functions – complete occultation, thermal insulation, sound insulation and fireproof.

The textile received the Alsace Innovation prize in 2013, for efficiently covering a range of needs presented by clients. Due to its multi-utility nature, the product is gaining traction and the company wants to promote it in markets such as hospitality, entertainment and furnishing.

The product was launched in 2013, and after several months of intensive work in close cooperation with the research and development laboratory, the new textile can four functions on its own, said company officials.

The base fabric is a 100 per cent polyester, and has a coating, which is a mix of acrylic (for sound insulation) and aluminium-based metallisation. It weighs 205 g per sqm, is 2.4 metre long and 0.9mm thick. Its fire resistance classification is M1 et B1 (on request); Tear Resistance is CH/TR: 19daN/75daN; tear propagation resistance is CH/TR:510 Nm/1400 Nm; reflection factor IR of 70 per cent; sun absorption factor Alpha w of 0.65.

Intelligent single-drive spinning technology by Schlafhorst’s Autocoro Automation

Schlafhorst’s Autocoro Automation technology, which is intelligently automated

THE SINGLE-DRIVE TECHNOLOGY of the Schlafhorst’s Autocoro 8 relieves spinning mills the burden of organisational tasks.

Machines with smart, autonomous spinning positions can be integrated easily into operating processes than conventional rotor spinning machines. Automatic processes that are stiff and inflexible on beltdriven machines suddenly become adaptable and can be optimised better, enabling companies to attain their goal of maximum efficiency with much less effort Every spinning position on the Autocoro 8 is an intelligently automated, independent production unit with individually controlled spinning and winding processes. All Autocoro 8 spinning positions can piece independently. They don't need to wait for a central unit, as on belt-driven machines. The Autocoro thus comprises 552 intelligent production units, which are productive round the clock without exception, even when piecing is required especially frequently at some spinning positions. On start-up the individual automation of the Autocoro also results in an unassailable leap in productivity. The QuickStarter facilitates twelve synchronous

piecing processes, meaning that the Autocoro 8 runs up 6 times faster than a comparable machine with a belt drive.

The Autocoro’s smart spinning positions communicate with the operating staff. A symbol display at each spinning position shows what the position is doing at any moment. If a malfunction occurs, the display signals what the problem is, so that the operator can quickly rectify the fault without any tedious troubleshooting process.

Machines with a central drive have coloured LED signals at the spinning position at best, or fault messages on the central operating screen at the end of the machine. This delays fault elimination and extends the production stoppage.

The Autocoro 8 is the first rotor spinning machine that achieves a flowing lot change entirely automatically. The individual spinning position supports reliable lot separation even when changing cans or spinning components; there is no need to wait for all spinning positions to run out, as on conventional belt-driven machines. Once the last package in the old lot is full, the spinning position automatically adopts a waiting position, indicated by a light signal.

Italian manufacturers display prowess in textile machinery production

THE GROWTH OF technical textiles has surpassed that of traditional textiles in the recent years. In Europe, the sector costs US$32bn, amounting to 30 per cent of the total turnover for the European textile industry. Specifically, Italian textile manufacturers are making their presence felt in the industry.

At the upcoming Techtextil to be held in Frankfurt between 4-7 May 2015, there are 23 Italian textile machinery companies that will be part of the country pavilion, organised by the Italian Trade Agency and the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers (ACIMIT).

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The growing demand for technical textiles has led to the increase in production, characterised by a high level of innovative content in end products and production processes. According to the organisers, the increased demand for innovative solutions is precisely what enhances the role of Italian textile machinery manufacturers.

Raffaella Carabelli, president of ACIMIT, said, “The flexibility and versatility that differentiates Italian textile machiner has enabled Italy’s machinery manufacturers to become global leaders in machinery specially designed for the production of technical and innovative textiles, a

sector in which it is essential to work in collaboration with customers, allowing for flexibility in adapting existing machines to less traditional production processes. This is the area where Made in Italy machinery are at their very best”.

The Italian manufacturers at the show include 4M Plants, Biancalani, Bombi, Bonino, Canalair, Comoexport, Consorzio Italian Texstyle, Corino, Crosta, Cutlite, Dell’orco & Villani, Mecatex, Monti-Mac, Noseda, Omr, Pmt, Ramina, Ratti, Rollmac Div. Gemata, Saspe, Srs, Toscana Spazzole and Unitech.

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Fibertex Nonwovens acquires additional stake in its South African company

THE NETHERLANDS-BASED FIBERTEX Nonwovens has acquired a 48.2 per cent additional stake in Fibertex South Africa, while increasing manufacturing capacity as well.

According to the company, Fibertex Nonwovens has increased its ownership interest in Fibertex South Africa from 26 per cent to 74.2 per cent by purchasing the 48.2 per cent stake from Safyr. The transaction also includes the investment in a second state-of-the-art needlepunched production line, and the simultaneous purchase of the Safyr fibre line, and additional land and buildings.

Fibertex South Africa was co-founded in 2010 and jointly owned by Fibertex Nonwovens, The Investment Fund for Developing Countries (IFU) and Safyr, a South African company. The Investment Fund for Developing Countries (IFU) has maintained its stake at 25.8 per cent and will invest accordingly.

Jorgen Bech Madsen, group CEO of Fibertex Nonwovens, said there is a lot of potential in South Africa's production capacity. The transaction is expected to create an important platform for the future development of Fibertex Nonwovens in Africa.

Chris O´Neill, CEO of Fibertex South Africa added that the capacity expansion is an important milestone for the company as this is in line with the strategies and growth objectives, including the expansion into Africa.

The increased investment in state-of-the-art production capacity not only increases work places in an area with high unemployment but also proves that South Africa is an attractive location for world class production.

Fibertex South Africa has witnessed an increase in demand for products in the automotive industry and infrastructure programmes, but industrial applications as well.

Needling Lines for Filter Fabrics

DiloGroup to present latest technologies at Techtextil 2015 GERMANY’S DILOGROUP WILL be showcasing its production lines and machine concepts at the upcoming Techtextil 2015, scheduled to be held in Frankfurt am Main between 4-7 July 2015.

DiloGroup is the premier builder and supplier of complete nonwovens lines made in Germany for staple fibre nonwoven production. Each line is specifically engineered to customer needs.

Companies belonging the group such as DiloTemafa, DiloSpinnbau and DiloMachines will present their latest technologies at the show. The highlights of the machines would be improving operational efficiency, web quality and uniformity with positive effects on staple fibre bonding processes. According to the company, these elements are part of the Dilo Isomation process, and aimed at an even web mass for reduced fibre consumption as raw material is the biggest cost factor in textile production.

Techtextil 2015, a leading event for technical textile and nonwovens, will offer interested parties the possibility to gather information from more than 1,300 exhibitors from 48 countries.

Needled filter fabrics for cleaner air and water

a in k f ur t a m M n a r F , 5 1 0 3 .1 May 4 –7, 2 . 3 .0, h all o n h t o o b V isi t us a t

DiloGr oup P. O. B ox 15 51 6 9 4 0 5 Eberbach / G ermany Phone + 4 9 6271 9 4 0 - 0 Fa x + 4 9 6271 711 42 info @ dilo.de, w w w.dilo.de

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST TEXTILES ISSUE FOUR 2014 / ONE 2015

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COLOURANTS

Dyes and Chemicals Set for Growth

By Ian Holme

T

HE PRODUCTION OF dyes and chemicals for application to textile materials is linked to the growth in the textile fibre market. The recent World Survey in Fiber Organon has shown that the global production of manufactured fibres increased in 2013 to 63.8mn tonnes – a rise of nearly 5.8 per cent (3.5mn tonnes). Overall, the global production of textile fibres increased by 2.7 per cent (2.4mn tonnes) to 90.9mn tonnes. Synthetic fibre production rose by 5.3 per cent to 59mn tonnes and cellulosic fibres by 12.2 per cent to 4.8mn tonnes.

In addition, the Lenzing Group has expanded its Tencel Lyocell fibre production to 220,000 tonnes per year in 2014.

The dominant force in manufactured fibres is Asia, which in 2013, contributed some 87 per cent of global manufactured fibre production. Of this production, China accounted for 64 per cent, India seven percent, Taiwan 3.5 per cent, USA four per cent and Western Europe 3.2 per cent. The most important fibres in the world continue to be polyester and cotton, and hence, many dye and chemical developments will be geared to the dyeing of these fibres. Polyester filament yarns (31.3mn tonnes) and polyester staple fibres (15.4mn tonnes) experienced growth rates in 2013 of eight per cent and two per cent respectively.

Global polyester production increased to 46.7mn tonnes – a rise of 2.46mn tonnes or six per cent on the year. Thus, polyester fibres account for some 73 per cent of the total manufactured fibre production. Of the natural fibres, cotton and wool experienced a decline of some four per cent to 25.6bn tonnes and 1.1mn tonnes respectively.

The major collusion to be drawn from the statistics is that dyes and chemicals for dyeing polyester and cotton and other cellulosic fibres (e.g. viscose, modal and lyocell fibres) will continue to dominate the market. Disperse dyestuffs for polyester fibres have been grouped according to the end-use application, in terms of the required colour fastness to light, wet treatments and rubbing (crock fastness).

Some dye statistics published by Atul Ltd (Colors Division) Valsad, Gujarat, India, indicate that reactive dyes now account for some 60 per cent of the dyes used on home textiles made from cellulosic fibres. Vat (12 per cent), Indigo (nine per cent), Direct (nine per cent), Sulphur (eight per cent) and Naphthol colours (two per cent) make up the remainder. Clearly dispersed and reactive dyestuffs will continue to be major areas for future developments from dye makers.

In the field of dye manufacture, SK Capital has completed the acquisition of the Textile

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Dyes and chemicals for dyeing polyester and cotton and other cellulosic fibres such as viscose, modal and lyocell fibres, will continue to dominate the market

Chemicals, Paper Specialities and Emulsions business from Clariant. SK Capital, a private investment firm has combined the three divisions into an integrated, market-focused and highly collaborative company called Archroma. A recent move by Archroma has seen it acquire shares worth 49 per cent of the dyemaker M Dohmen SA, which manufactures dyes and chemicals for the automotive, carpet and apparel sectors. M Dohmen has production facilities based in Switzerland, Germany and South Korea together with sales organisations in the USA and Italy. This new partnership between Archroma and M Dohmen is expected to broaden the composite product portfolio and develop new markets for dyes and chemicals, especially in Asia and Latin America.

A report on the global dyes and pigments market

by MarketsandMarkets, a USA-based global market research and consulting company, has forecast that colorants consumption will grow at a cumulative annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.6 per cent and will reach 11mn metric tonnes by 2018.

The Asia-Pacific region will account for the largest portion of colourant demand, as a result of the large middle-class populations in developing countries such as China and India. Other factors which affect the demand for dyes and pigments are consumer spending levels, people’s lifestyles and the preference towards the use of different colours.

The textile industry is the major outlet for dyes, and Global Industry Analysts Inc in the USA has stated that the textile industry accounts for some 70

per cent of the total demand for dyes. However, the use of pigments in the textile industry is mainly in textile printing and also in mass pigmentation of manufactured fibres. China and India are expected to be the main markets for organic pigments and dyes.

MarketsandMarkets conclude that the global pigments market, which includes coatings, plastics, paper, printing inks and textiles, is projected to grow at a CAGR of four per cent from 2013-2018. However, the dye manufacturing industry faces issues such as global overcapacity, stricter environmental laws and also regarding compliance with REACH in the EU. Another report by Research and Markets has been published on the India Textile Chemical Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2018. The present market for textile chemicals in India is highly fragmented, comprising some 300 large and smaller companies. By 2018, the increasing preference for quality products coupled with the growing market penetration of technical textiles is expected to decrease the market share provided by the smaller companies.

Major international companies such as BASF, Archroma and Huntsman are moving towards product innovation in textile chemicals. The main strategy is to focus upon eco-friendly products as well as high-end products which add functional properties to the textile material. Bio-auxiliaries are increasingly being used as well as other environmentally-friendly chemicals in order to

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COLOURANTS decrease the overall pollution load emanating from textile wet processing units. The rapidly growing textile and apparel industry in India is also complemented by the Indian government’s Technological Mission, which aims to support new companies by offering them knowledge about technical textiles.

An important field of development within the technical textiles market is that of nonwovens. The Gherzi Textile Organisation of Zurich, Switzerland, a major global consulting company, has pointed to five main areas as growth drivers for nonwoven applications. These are: • global population growth and the accompanying demand for hygiene, medical applications and consumer goods • industrialisation of emerging markets with the requirements for more automobiles, geotextiles and protective apparel • further industrialisation of agriculture such as covers for seed, mulch mats, drainage and shading • fabric displacement in the areas of filtration, protective apparel, roofing membranes and geotextiles • the growing environmental awareness, which is driving more products for filtration, oil absorbants and landfill-backings The production of organic dyes and pigments depends upon the chemical intermediates produced from the primary chemicals derived from the petrochemical industry. Within the EU, textile dyers and printers have faced price hikes of up to 80 per cent in 2014. This has arisen because of the stricter standards for wastewater introduced by environmental regulators, especially in China. As a result, there has been a shutdown of many production units and hence, a strong reduction of the remaining production capacity. This has led to shortages of chemical intermediates in China and India and to a dramatic increase in dyestuff prices.

Chemical intermediates such as H-acid, bromaminic acid and anthraquinone have been seriously affected and, it is claimed, that the remaining suppliers have raised their prices by 167 per cent to 447 per cent. The major classes of dyes affected by the price rises include the reactive and direct dyes for cellulosic fibres coupled with disperse dyes for polyester, and acid and metal complex dyes for wool fibres. If small and medium sized textile dyers and printers within the EU cannot increase their prices to their customers, this could lead to some companies going out of business.

Huntsman Textile Effects has increased its Lanaset range of dyes to include additional shades for woven and knitted polyamide fabrics. Lanaset PA dyes offer trichromatic mixtures with tone-ontone build-up and flexibility for shade matching.

Lanaset PA dyes are easy to apply to achieve deep shades and on polyamide microfibres the dyeing process is simple, economic and efficient. Lanaset PA dyes are designed for high performance outdoor wear and sportswear. This includes windbreakers, skiwear and mountaineering clothing, as well as for swimwear and lingerie.

They are suitable for laminated fabrics because they do not require a fixation step in most circumstances. The Lanaset dyes have been developed to offer fastness to chlorinated water, which avoids the need for application of a chlorine-fastness improver.

Archroma has recently focused upon sustainable denim dyeing using their advanced Optisul C, sulphur dyestuffs together with selected Printofix T pigments to give different wash down effects. The use of Optisul C dyes is easier than current techniques and their application in a pad-dry/paddry process could eliminate water consumption compared with dyeing woven fabric. The use of these dyestuffs can be combined with resins to create subtle handles and finishes without having to compromise on the casual final appearance.

Archroma’s Advanced Denim technology is

Within the EU, textile dyers and printers have faced price hikes of up to 80 per cent in 2014, mainly due to strict standards for wastewater

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST TEXTILES ISSUE FOUR 2014 / ONE 2015

based upon their Denim-Ox and Pad Sizing-Ox processes. These processes are engineered to decrease water consumption by up to 92 per cent and cotton waste by 87 per cent. In addition, it has been demonstrated that in comparison with traditional denim processing, up to 30 per cent of the energy costs can be saved.

An innovative stilbene-based fluorescent whitening agent has been introduced by Huntsman Textile Effects to enable textile wet processors to achieve very high standards of whiteness upon cellulosic fibres. Uvitex BHA liq is a high-affinity stilbene whitener with unequalled acid stability and acid fastness that avoids the problems with other stilbene whiteners that give rise to a greenish tinge after neutralisation or acid pH setting. Uvitex BHA liq is designed to meet international brands’ high white standards for towels, knitted apparel, Tshirts, underwear and other articles manufactured from cellulosic fibres.

It exhibits a high acid stability between pH 4-5 and fastness to acid down to pH 4. This novel product provides a neutral to slightly bluish white shade with very good wash fastness and build-up.

Another valuable feature of this whitening agent is that the risk of phenolic yellowing is minimised.

Uvitex BHA liq can be applied via exhaust application methods and is suitable for discontinuous hydrogen peroxide bleaching systems as well as for reductive bleaching.

Suitable for use on automatic dispensing equipment this fluorescent whitener offers very high bath exhaustion, and hence low wastewater pollution. As with the other Uvitex products, Uvitex BHA liq is included on the Huntsman Positive List for Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) and can be used by companies that have signed the Towards ZDHC Joint Roadmap.

Sarex Chemicals from Mumbai, India have introduced a new levelling/dispersing agent for polyester dyeing, termed Dyewell-PES. This is a concentrated low-foaming levelling and dispersing agent that improves the migration of disperse dyes so that level dyeing can be achieved. Dyewell-PES is designed to control the rate of disperse dye uptake under adverse dyeing conditions in order to obtain level, uniform dyeing. The presence of Dyewell-PES does not affect the required shade.

Dyewell-PES is used at 0.3 – 0.5g/l in the exhaust dyeing of polyester tops, fibre, yarns and fabrics and for correction of faulty dyeings at the higher application level of 1.0-1.5g/l.

Sarex Chemicals has also introduced a new pretreatment speciality product for digital ink jet printing called Sarasol-1101. This unique product has been engineered to improve the colour value during ink jet printing on all types of fabric with disperse, reactive and acid dyes. Sarasol-1101 increases the localised viscosity of the ink thereby avoiding colour bleeding and spreading of the prints. Sarasol-1101 does not affect the fabric handle and increases the print levelness and sharpness. An additional feature is that Sarasol1101 is stable against bacterial attack. ❑

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TECHNIQUES DE TEINTURE SANS EAU

La teinture sans eau grâce au dioxyde de carbone supercritique par Ian Holme L’eau – une ressource rare Au cours de la dernière décennie, le Moyen-Orient et l'Afrique du Nord (région MENA) ont été confrontés à de nombreux problèmes.

Problème particulièrement pressant et important, la région MENA est considérée comme la région du monde la plus pauvre en eau. On estime que, en raison de la croissance de la population, la disponibilité en eau par habitant pourrait baisser de quelque 50 % d'ici à 2050. De plus, si le changement climatique suit son cours, les conditions météorologiques et la configuration des précipitations risquent d'être grandement chamboulées. Par conséquent, il est probable que la région MENA connaisse plus fréquemment des épisodes sévères de sécheresse et d’inondations.

En 2002, la région MENA regroupait 6,3 % de la population mondiale, mais seulement 1,4 % de l’eau douce renouvelable du monde entier. Les taux de croissance démographique de la région MENA tournent actuellement autour de 2 %, par rapport à la moyenne mondiale qui est de 1,1 %. Les Nations Unies ont prédit que 18 des 30 pays qui se trouveront dans une situation de sécheresse d'ici à 2025 se situeront au Moyen-Orient et en Afrique du Nord. De nombreux pays utilisent plus que les ressources en eau renouvelables dont ils disposent. Ainsi, en 2011, le Bahreïn a utilisé autour de 220 % de ses ressources en eau renouvelables, l’Arabie Saoudite 943 % et le Koweït un volume phénoménal de 2 465 %.

Les chercheurs du Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), à Boston, ont estimé qu’environ 5 milliards (52 %) des habitants de la planète, sur les 9,7 milliards prévus pour 2050, vivront dans des zones sous stress hydrique, où la demande est supérieure aux réserves d’eau superficielles. Une grande partie de ces régions subissent déjà des pénuries d’eau, notamment l’Inde, l’Afrique du Nord et le Moyen-Orient. Les ressources en eau de la région MENA incluent des fleuves, des zones humides et des aquifères, et l'utilisation de fleuves et d'aquifères transfrontaliers peut aboutir soit à une situation de concurrence et de conflit, soit à une situation de coopération. Environ 67 % de la population du monde arabe dépend de réserves d’eau qui proviennent d’états non arabes. De nombreux modèles climatiques mondiaux ont prédit des perspectives difficiles pour la région MENA, prévoyant un climat plus chaud et plus sec conduisant à une réduction importante des précipitations, à une augmentation de l’évaporation et, de là, à une diminution des eaux de ruissellement et de l’humidité des sols.

Dans la région MENA, certains pays/territoires, comme la bande de Gaza, le Koweït, Oman, l'Arabie saoudite, le Qatar, les Émirats arabes unis et le Yémen, ne possèdent que de très faibles ressources en eau renouvelables et dépendent donc essentiellement des eaux souterraines et de la désalinisation pour leur approvisionnement en eau. D’autres pays tels que l’Égypte, l’Irak, la Jordanie, le Liban, la Cisjordanie et la Syrie prélèvent une grande partie de leur eau sur des réseaux fluviaux qui sont partagés avec d’autres pays.

La demande en eau est considérée comme connaissant une hausse spectaculaire dans tous les principaux secteurs d'utilisation, à savoir l’agriculture, la production énergétique, les utilisations industrielles et la consommation humaine. L’agriculture représente actuellement 70 %

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de toute l’eau prélevée par les secteurs agricoles, municipaux et industriels (y compris énergétiques) confondus. On estime que la demande alimentaire mondiale va augmenter de 70 % d’ici à 2050 et la consommation énergétique mondiale de 50 % d’ici à 2035, en raison de la croissance démographique et du développement de l’activité économique.

Manifestement, les procédés tels que le blanchissage, la teinture, l’impression et le finissage appliqués à l’industrie textile utilisent beaucoup d’eau et engendrent une pollution qui nécessite des systèmes efficaces de traitement et d’élimination des eaux usées. Bien que les fabricants de machines aient consenti à des efforts considérables pour diminuer la consommation d’eau dans le traitement des textiles par voie humide, notamment dans les machines de teinture pour fibres, fils, tissus et vêtements, l’eau reste l'option privilégiée pour le traitement des textiles par voie humide.

Cependant, d’autres options ont été envisagées pour la teinture de textiles grâce à des machines de traitement sans eau. Une méthode est actuellement en train de se positionner comme solution alternative à l’eau dans la teinture de fibres synthétiques, telles que le polyester, au moyen de colorants dispersés : il s'agit du dioxyde de carbone supercritique (scCO2). Bien que le dioxyde de carbone supercritique ait fait l’objet de recherches au cours des trois dernières décennies, ce n’est que récemment qu’une machine de teinture commerciale donnant des résultats satisfaisants pour les tissus de polyester a été mise au point par la société DyeCOO Textile Systems BV, basée aux Pays-Bas.

Teinture au scCO2 On estime que, dans le cadre de la technique de teinture aqueuse traditionnelle, quelque 28 milliards de kilos de textiles sont teints chaque année, requérant quelque 100-150 litres d'eau par kg. Lors de l'édition 1991 de l'ITMA, organisée à Hanovre, Allemagne, la société Jasper GmbH & Co (Velen, Allemagne) a présenté une petite machine à l'échelle semi-technique destinée à la teinture de tissus de polyester au moyen de dioxyde de carbone supercritique (scCO2). Cependant, de nombreux problèmes techniques ont été rencontrés, et cette technique a été abandonnée par Jasper. Une autre installation pilote, d’une capacité de 30 litres, a été présentée à l’ITMA 1995 par la société UHDE Hockdrucktechnik GmbH (Hagen, Allemagne), en collaboration avec le centre de recherche textile allemand du NordOuest (Krefeld, Allemagne). Cette machine comportait un cycle d’extraction permettant d’extraire et de séparer les excédents de colorant et les huiles de filage au cours du processus de teinture, de nettoyer l’installation lors des changements de couleurs et de recycler le dioxyde de carbone (CO2). Une cuve séparée pour le stockage des colorants ainsi qu’une pompe d’un débit nettement supérieur étaient également intégrées à la machine de teinture.

Cette approche novatrice de la teinture sans eau s’appuie sur les propriétés du dioxyde de carbone supercritique (scCO2). Au-dessus de 31 °C et à une pression de 74 bars, le dioxyde de carbone devient supercritique, un état de la matière qui peut être assimilé à un liquide dilaté ou encore à un gaz fortement comprimé. Au-dessus du point critique, le dioxyde de carbone présente les propriétés d'un liquide et

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TECHNIQUES DE TEINTURE SANS EAU d'un gaz. Le scCO2 possède une densité semblable à celle d'un liquide, ce qui est pratique pour la dissolution de teintures hydrophobes, ainsi qu'une faible viscosité et des propriétés de diffusion semblables à celles d'un gaz, ce qui peut entraîner une réduction de la durée du cycle de teinture par rapport à un processus de teinture à base aqueuse.

Ainsi, la teinture du polyester à l’aide de colorants dispersés modifiés et l’élimination des excédents de colorant peuvent se faire dans cette seule et unique machine. Autre avantage, le séchage du textile teint est inutile, car, à la fin du processus, le CO2 est libéré à l’état gazeux et peut être recyclé (jusqu’à 95 %) après précipitation des matières extraites dans un séparateur.

Le lancement en 2010, par DyeCOO Textile Systems BV (Weesp, Pays-Bas), de la première machine commerciale de teinture textile au scCO2 a fait suite à onze années de mise au point, initialement chez la société mère de DyeCOO, FeyeCon Development & Implementation BV. Un savoir-faire en matière de technique et d'ingénierie a été apporté par Stork Prints et l’Université de Delft.

Des colorants dispersés spécialement conçus ont été fournis par Chemische Fabriek Triade BV, et les systèmes de commande des procédés ont été développés par Setex Schermuly Textile Computer GmbH (Allemagne).

La première machine DyeCOO a été installée au sein de l’entreprise thaïlandaise Tong Siang Co Ltd, appartenant au groupe YEH, qui a donné au procédé le nom de DryDye. Le système de teinture de DyeCOO est constitué au maximum de trois cuves de teinture reliées à une unité de récupération et d’alimentation en CO2. Ces trois cuves de teinture sont capables de teindre simultanément, mais en étant tour à tour pressurisées ou dépressurisées.

Le cycle de teinture se divise en cinq étapes : Étape 0 : Atmosphérique - la cuve de teinture n’est pas sous pression. Étape 1 : Pressurisation – la cuve de teinture est remplie de CO2. Étape 2 : Teinture et égalisation – le textile est teint. Étape 3 : Rinçage – la cuve de teinture et le textile sont rincés. Étape 4 : Dépressurisation – la cuve de teinture est dépressurisée.

C’est à l’opérateur de choisir laquelle des cuves de teinture doit commencer la pressurisation (étape 1) et de sélectionner le temps de teinture. Le système de commande prend ensuite la main et exécute automatiquement les étapes restantes (2, 3, 4, 0) pour les cuves de teinture activées.

On enroule le tissu de polyester sur une ensouple, et on l’introduit dans la cuve de teinture, constituée d’un acier inoxydable décapé et passivé (ANSI 316). La température d’utilisation est de 120 °C, et la pression d’utilisation peut monter jusqu’à 260 bars. La charge maximale par cuve de teinture est de 150 à 180 kg, avec des largeurs de tissu allant jusqu’à 2 mètres. Le temps de teinture moyen est de 2,5 à 3 heures. Le fluide supercritique CO2 fait gonfler la structure fibreuse, ce qui permet au colorant dispersé de se diffuser facilement dans la fibre, en pénétrant dans la structure poreuse et capillaire de cette dernière. La viscosité de la solution de colorant est plus faible, ce qui facilite sa circulation et la rend moins énergivore. Les premières machines de teinture au scCO2 de DyeCOO effectuaient le débouillissage avec colorant du tissu de polyester, mais la société affirme que ses machines de teinture de type 2 permettront d’éviter l’étape de prétraitement aqueux. Avec son partenaire Triade Chemicals, elle dispose désormais d’une gamme complète de colorants au scCO2 pour ses machines de teinture.

La teinture au scCO2 présente les avantages suivants par rapport à la teinture à base aqueuse : • suppression de la consommation d’eau • suppression des rejets d’eaux usées • suppression du processus de traitement des eaux usées • suppression du séchage et des effluents de séchoir

• • • • • • • •

réduction de la consommation énergétique réduction des rejets dans l’atmosphère réduction du temps de teinture suppression des agents tensioactifs et substances chimiques auxiliaires consommation très élevée du colorant avec très peu de colorant résiduel possibilité de recapturer le colorant inutilisé recyclage d'environ 95 % du CO2 utilisé réduction du nombre de reteintures nécessaires correction des couleurs plus facile que pour la teinture aqueuse

Le groupe Yeh a découvert que les propriétés des fils teints au scCO2 étaient équivalentes à celle des fils teints par teinture aqueuse classique. Le procédé au scCO2 consomme moins d’énergie qu'un procédé de teinture classique, ce qui pourrait faire baisser les coûts d’exploitation de moitié.

En février 2012, Nike Inc a acquis une participation stratégique dans DyeCOO Textile Systems BV, et son sous-traitant taïwanais Far Eastern New Century Corp a installé des machines DyeCOO. Nike Inc a baptisé cette innovation durable ColorDry, afin de mettre en lumière les avantages environnementaux ainsi que les colorations sans précédent obtenus grâce à cette technique. Les analystes industriels estiment que plus de 39 millions de tonnes de polyester seront teintes chaque année d’ici à 2015 ; le potentiel de la technologie scCO2 est donc considérable. Le procédé ColorDry a permis de réduire les temps de teinture de 40 %, la consommation d’énergie d’environ 60 % et l’empreinte écologique des usines d’un quart.

Dans le cadre de son initiative de durabilité Better Place, la société Adidas a produit 50 000 T-shirts en polyester DryDye en utilisant le procédé de teinture au scCO2 plutôt que la technique de teinture aqueuse, pour laquelle il faut en moyenne environ 25 litres d’eau pour teindre un seul T-shirt. L’utilisation de la technique de teinture au scCO2 a ainsi permis d’économiser 1 250 000 litres d’eau. Depuis l’arrivée de DryDye en 2012, Adidas a produit neuf cent mille mètres de tissu DryDye pour sa gamme de T-shirts de référence. Cette opération aurait permis d’économiser plus de 25 millions de litres d’eau, ce qui équivaut à 10 piscines olympiques, en une année seulement. La technique du procédé DryDye utilise moitié moins d’énergie et moitié moins de produits chimiques que les méthodes de teinture traditionnelles.

IKEA GreenTech, société de capital-risque du groupe IKEA, a investi dans DyeCOO Textile Systems – un investissement qui viendra soutenir la mise en œuvre de la stratégie de durabilité du groupe IKEA, Pour la Planète et ses Habitants, par laquelle IKEA s'engage à rendre ses produits, sa structure opérationnelle et sa chaîne d’approvisionnement plus durables.

En octobre 2012, Huntsman Textile Effects et DyeCOO Textile Systems ont uni leurs forces pour mettre au point et développer la technologie du traitement textile au scCO2. Huntsman Textile Effects travaille avec DyeCOO Textile Systems pour mettre au point et fournir des colorants et des produits chimiques innovants qui viennent soutenir le processus de teinture sans eau et permettent d’obtenir les niveaux élevés de stabilité des couleurs et de performance qu’exigent les consommateurs.

Parmi ces différents produits figurent les produits Uvitex SC-PN, Uvitex SC-PB et Uvitex SC-PR, qui permettent d’obtenir des blancs plus lumineux et des couleurs plus éclatantes. Le procédé de teinture au scCO2 offrant une gestion plus sèche que les traitements à base aqueuse, Huntsman Textile Effects a produit Ultraphil SC-MC pour améliorer la gestion de l’humidité des tissus demandée par les grandes marques.

La technique de teinture au scCO2 représente une innovation majeure dans l'industrie de la teinture ; si elle peut être étendue à d’autres fibres telles que le coton, elle pourrait bien constituer l’option de teinture textile la plus durable à ce jour. ❑

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EVENT PREVIEW FESPA 2015 aims to be bigger, better and more global

FESPA 2015, THE region’s largest show on format digital printing, screen printing, garment decoration and textile printing, is set to take place at the Gallagher Convention Centre, Johannesburg from 22-24 July 2015, where 6,000 business professionals and 140 exhibitors will be showcasing the latest developments in technology, solutions and consumables for the graphic arts industry.

Event organisers have stated that following a successful edition in 2014, they would like to make the upcoming show a larger and more comprehensive event for the regional community.

Dyelan Copeland, organiser of FESPA Africa, said, “We are already on our way to creating a bigger event with over 4,470 sqm of space booked. A large number of leading brands that will showcase their latest products include platinum sponsors, Roland and Avery Dennison, plus Agfa Graphics, Antalis, Epson, Fujifilm, Mimaki, Nutec Digital, Optimus, Pantone, Tulip Inks and Trotec SA, as well as distributors of Adobe, Anajet, Arlon, Brother, Canon, CorelDRAW, Hewlett Packard, Kip, Mutoh, Nazdar, Océ, Seiko, SwissQprint, Vista System and Zünd, amongst others.”

FESPA 2014 witnessed an 11 per cent increase in attendees from outside South Africa, attributed to the country’s economic resilience and the show’s value addition, said organisers. This year, they hope to witness a larger turnout.

Ignite Your Print Potential The theme for the show – Ignite Your Print Potential – aims to attract a range of exhibitors and cutting-edge technology, in addition to seminars to generate ideas. Lorraine Harrow, marketing manager at FESPA, said, “FESPA Africa 2014 was a great launch event, gaining positive feedback from both exhibitors and visitors. We want to continually improve our exhibitions to serve the needs of the regional print community, by analysing last year’s event and doing market research, we have developed a targeted plan to deliver a bigger and better exhibition next year.” Additional activities to boost visitor experience include engaging with

new related markets to widen the scope of the expo and create suitable feature content for the sectors.

Charnia Yapp, event organiser, added, “We plan to provide more activities at the expo. Garment printing guru Charlie Taublieb’s T-shirt printing corner was a major hit at the 2014 event and the popularity of the technology seminars means we will be extending the number of sessions and variety of content. These value-adds will be beneficial to printers in the region who are eager to learn new techniques and gather ideas for their businesses.”

FESPA Africa 2015 will be co-located with Sign Africa and Africa Print – trademark shows for the signage industry.

Texprocess 2015 to cater to textile supply chain, embroidery technology and textile logistics TEXPROCESS, THE INTERNATIONAL trade fair for processing textiles and flexible materials, will take place from 4-7 May 2015 in Frankfurt am Main. The event, which will take place alongside sister trade fair for technical textiles and non wovens, Techtexil, will bring together textiles processors and suppliers of equipment and services from around the world.

The products on show will cover the whole of the textile supply chain, from design to printing and logistics, with the exhibitors divided between three halls. Design, IT, CAD/CAM and cutting segments products can be found in Hall 4, machines and accessories for sewing, joining and embroidering will be showcased in Hall 5, while Hall 6 will be home to embroidery technology, finishing and textile logistics.

The layout will remain largely the same as the previous Texprocess in 2013, which attracted 330 exhibitors and more than 19,000 trade visitors.

This year’s show is set to be even more popular, with around 95 per cent of exhibition spaces already sold by January 2015.

“Clearly, the market leaders find the concept of Texprocess compelling,” Olaf Schmidt, vice president Textiles & Textile Technologies, said in January. “At this time two years ago, we had only sold 70 per cent of the space taken by the previous event.”

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Since Texprocess 2013, organisers have seen a marked rise in the sale of German garment and leather technology, which rose by 23 per cent, according to Texprocess conceptual partner VDMA Garment and Leather Technology. Another key trend has been in the IT sector, where product lifecycle management systems (PLM), cloud applications and 3D CAD systems have all taken a more prominent role.

Looking forward, one of the highlights of this year’s event is expected to be the ‘Innovative Apparel Show’, a new feature which organisers say will be the “new heart” of both Texprocess and Techtextil. Four universities and fashion schools will present their designs before explaining the processes and materials used the special exhibition in Hall 6.1.

Event organisers, Messe Frankfurt, will also be presenting the Texprocess Innovation Award, for the third time running, during the opening ceremony in Hall 4.2 on 4 May. The winners of the award, for the best new developments in various categories, will be on show at a special exhibition in Hall 4.

Human Solutions Group will be presenting on virtual product development and technological solutions for design, conception and product development. (Image source: Human Solutions Group)

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Techtextil 2015 sets the pace for global textile industry

TECHTEXTIL, CONSIDERED THE leading event for technical textiles and nonwovens, is set to take place in Frankfurt am Maim from 47 May 2015.

Organisers have stated that the area booked is 10 per cent greater than the total space occupied in 2013, with several new exhibitors having signed up for the 2015 show. Renowned companies taking part in Techtextil for the first time and returning exhibitors include British Textile Machinery Association, Carrington Workwear, Lankhorst Pure Composites, Nike IHM, SATI, Sympatex Technologies and Technische Textilien Lörrach.

“The large number of registrations is primarily the result of our strategicdevelopment concept. With its focus on functional apparel textiles, the new Hall 6.1 is already very well booked. Many exhibitors, several of them new customers, have

welcomed the addition of a fourth day for the fair. After all, the world market for technical textiles and nonwovens is growing continuously,” said Olaf Schmidt, vicepresident of textiles and textile technologies at Messe Frankfurt.

There will also be a strong representation from Belgium, China, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Portugal, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey and the USA. This year, a Swiss pavilion will also be seen at the show.

Visitors can be part of a symposium, where top speakers will present the latest developments in the fields of products, materials and technologies and offer an inspiring overview of the trends and developments in the worldwide sector. Topics to be discussed include New Functional Clothing, New Technologies, New Surface Treatments and New Textile Composites among others.

At the upcoming show, the area booked is 10 per cent greater than the previous edition of Techtextil, held in 2013. (Image source: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH/Helmut Stettin)

Splash of fashion and trade in Hong Kong ORGANISED BY THE Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the 22nd Hong Kong Fashion Week for Summer/ Spring will be held from 6-9 July 2015.

Major exhibiting categories include apparel for men, women and children, as well as sportswear, lingerie and footwear too. Visitors can expect to see the ‘Garment Mart’ and ‘World of Fashion Accessories’ – both of which will feature basic mass merchandise. Special product zones include activewear and sportswear, bridal and evening wear; cashmere and wool; denim arcade; fabrics and yarn; handbags select; infants and children’s clothes; intimate and swim wear, packaging and design, sewing supplies and trade services.

The last edition in 2014 saw more than 16,000 visitors and 1,255 exhibitors. There

were 17,000 buyers from nearly 71 countries – mainly India, China, South Korea and the USA. With economies of traditional markets recovering, the opinion was that manufacturers should be looking to the Asia-Pacific region as well, where growth momentum was considered strong.

The show will be sponsored by the Hong Kong Apparel Society Limited, Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association, Hong Kong Garment Manufacturers Association Ltd, Hong Kong Knitwear Exporters & Manufacturers Association Ltd, Hong Kong Woollen & Synthetic Knitting Manufacturers' Association Ltd, Knitwear Innovation & Design Society, Textile Council of Hong Kong Ltd, The Federation of Hong Kong Garment Manufacturers and The Woolmark Company and Greater China Region.

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EVENT REVIEW Origin Africa 2014 highlights Africa’s future in the textile industry

President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya inaugurated the Origin Africa event at Nairobi in November 2014

ORIGIN AFRICA 2014 was hosted from 1012 November 2014 at Hotel Intercontinental Nairobi, Kenya. The show was hosted by African Cotton & Textiles Industries Federation (ACTIF) in conjunction with Export Processing Zones Authority of Kenya, Trade and Fairs Consulting. East Africa Trade Hub (EATH) along with several partners.

The 2014 edition included the cotton, textile and apparel value chain. In addition, there was a trade expo, seminars, B2B meetings as well as a designer showcase. More than 400 participants from 11 countries participated in the event, including 15 regional and international buyers, with representation from across the cotton, textile and apparel value chain.

Jas Bedi, chairman of ACTIF and vicepresident of International Textile Manufacturers Federation, said, “As Origin Africa demonstrates, the future of Africa’s textile industry is bright. Origin Africa was a great opportunity for investors and buyers, looking to capitalise on the emerging opportunities and to develop linkages with export-ready companies, suppliers, government support agencies, development partners, regional and international entrepreneurs.”

Participants included cotton traders, traders from fibre, yarn and textiles, apparel industrialists, home textiles and décor specialists and accessories entrepreneurs.

They were provided support by investment and export agencies, as well as textile machinery and technology suppliers. Country pavilions also had national delegations and investment promotions at the venue, said organisers.

The show was officially opened by Uhuru Kenyatta, President of Kenya.

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Cinte Techtextil China surpasses visitors’ record in 2014 ASIA’S LEADING BIENNIAL technical textiles fair – Cinte Techtextil China – concluded in September 2014 with 12,496 visits recorded over the three days of the fair from 24-26 September, representing a 63 per cent increase compared to the previous edition in 2012.

Visitors came from 61 countries and regions, with the top five being South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, India and Hong Kong. In total, 459 exhibitors from 22 countries and regions took part in the fair – a four per cent increase compared to the 2012 edition. Potential in the Chinese technical textiles market was still high, according to exhibitors Messe Frankfurt.

Wendy Wen, senior general manager of Messe Frankfurt, said, “Being held independently of the apparel fabrics show ensured more qualified buyers attended, with many exhibitors expressing that visitors to their booths were more aligned with their target market.”

Quality of buyers Many exhibitors said that the quality of buyers had improved, and that they were able to find their target buyers at the fair. “We’ve been to the fair for many years now as it is a professional one with high-quality visitors,” added Susie Zhang, marketing representative in China for German testing company ISRA Vision AG. “We have some existing customers in the filtration industry and there is a strong demand in China for these products,” B Mehmet Inceoglu from the Technical Fibres division of Turkish company AKSA explained. The nonwovens industry is also experiencing strong growth in China. “The nonwovens business is doing well in

China and is growing significantly and there’s room for growth here,” Edward McNally from Oerlikon Textile, Germany noted.

European quality As in the Chinese textile industry as a whole, demand for European products is very high in the technical textiles sector, with domestic buyers appreciating the quality and technological advantage these products have. Guy Decleer from Belgium’s Beaulieu Fibres International added, “Buyers here definitely recognise European quality. Those manufacturers that are producing here for export in particular appreciate higher quality. Being in the Belgium Pavilion helped as buyers automatically saw us as European.”

Products on offer In addition to the wide range of products and technology at the fair, the fringe programme provided information on the latest trends in the market and product developments. Over 30 seminars and product presentations took place, with topics ranging from regional and global market overviews to new product innovations.

The Innovation Showcase at the fair also displayed the newest technology and fabrics from exhibitors from around the world.

Apart from the trade show, Cinte Techtextil China also hosted the China International NonWoven Congress.

Top five product categories at the event included nonwovens; technology, machinery and accessories; woven fabrics, laid webs, braidings and knitted fabrics; coated textiles; and fibres and yarns.

Cinte Techtextil China recorded 12,496 visitors in September 2014 – a 63 per cent increase from the 2012 edition of the show.

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Egypt a thriving textile hub in MENA THE CAIRO FASHION & Tex 2015 International Exhibition has put the North African nation of Egypt in the spotlight. The country, which is the second largest economy after Saudi Arabia in the MENA region, has a robust textile industry – it is the second largest producing sector after agro-industry. It employed 30 per cent of Egypt’s workforce in 2008.

Egypt imported more than US$2.3bn worth textile material in 2009.

Cairo Fashion & Tex is the first and only international exhibition specialized in yarn, textile, garment and its trimming supplies and accessories in Egypt. Cairo Fashion & Tex began in 1993, and is held twice a year – March (summer-spring) and September (winter-autumn) Organised by the Pyramids Fair Group, the show included the following in textile – yarn, fabric, lining, narrow weaves, buttons, labels, models, zippers, models and rack systems. In textile machinery, visitors saw snitching and splitting machines, buffering and cementing machines, tanning and chemical machines, printing and cutting machines, folding and injection machines, heating, cooling and tracking machines, leather materials, lining, fabric and leather as well.

In the fashion category, there was representation in mens and ladies fashion, lingerie for men and women, sportswear as well as knitted garments.

The Cairo International Conference Center (CICC) is spread across an area of 58,000 sqm. (Image source: Cairo Fashion & Tex)

The visitor profile included wholesalers, chain stores, boutique owners, retail chains, department stores, garment exporters and importers, agents, distributors, designers, fashion media representatives, manufacturers and buyers.

The show also had a host of visitors from outside the country.

There were more than 20 countries present at the show, including Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Italy, India, China, Spain and Qatar.

Members of various governments and ambassadors too showed up.

Held at the Cairo International Conference Center (CICC), the show was the 55th international fashion, apparel and textile exhibition, stated the organisers.

Why Egypt for textiles?

In addition to posting strong growth figures over the years, the country has also signed free trade agreements with the European Union (EU), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Arab countries, as well as an Industrial Zone Agreement with the USA. This makes Egypt a lucrative destination for business.

Global brands such as Marks & Spencer, GAP, Wall-Mart, Levi Strauss and Calvin Klein are present in competitive measure in the country. There is a young and skilled labour force, especially in cotton. The country’s 15 commercial ports and strategic position make it an excellent trade gateway.

In addition to the MENA country being a good draw for economic reasons, organisers also elucidated that their show was effective to maintain and enhance trade relations, as well as act as a launchpad for products.

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APPAREL Africa and the Middle East

FK Group’s Top Cut 6 ‘Fast Revolution’ By applying a mix of technical characteristics and innovative materials, the tool has been developed to accelerate both speed and productivity even when cutting particularly difficult materials. The automatic conveyor cutting system with a six centimetre cutting head has been developed for small and medium production, with changes from multiple plies to single ply cutting taking only a few seconds.

FIAB

Technical textile cutting machines are mainly designed to cut PVC and non-porous fabrics 0.05 to 1.5 mm in depth. Although the standard width is 3.5 metres, tables up to five metres can be produced. Two rolls or more can be cut simultaneously but no more than five, using a conveyorised table. A very fine scalpel-like cutting tool is used, along with a pizza knife and ink drawing tool. Kevlar can also be cut but a stronger knife is required.

Filiz Makina San ve Tic AS

Unravelling the technology behind cutting

With the continual development of numerically controlled cutting techniques, Niki Tait hears from certain key system suppliers on what is new

T

HE TEXTILE INDUSTRY has been using numerically controlled cutting techniques for several decades. Machines are being continuously enhanced even as new companies enter the market.

Eastman Raptor

The new models are designed to cater to apparel, industrial fabrics and composites industries, cutting traditional textiles such as cotton, wool and denim, as well as modern technical materials like

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Kevlar, nonwoven polyesters, foam-backed vinyl and industrial fabrics. Newly-engineered features include numerous design upgrades for improved operation of automatic multiple-ply cutting including heavy-duty gantry design; improved access for maintenance and replacement of internal components and consumable items; sensors for monitoring optimum cycle speeds; whilst direct knife cooling improves cutting speeds and the ability to cut heavier-ounce materials.

The machine can cut multiple layers up to 2-3 cms. in height using a flat table with air transferring material, as opposed to a bristle bed, still using vacuum to hold the fabric. It uses a high oscillating altitude combined with carbide knives, thinner than steel that enable fine detail and provide low coefficient of friction.

M Series Gerber Innovations

This tool can cut a wide range of technical textiles from thin flexible fabrics to hard wood and aluminium. It is available in lengths up to five metres and widths up to 2.26 metres in a large range of sizes, and features advanced tooling, unobstructed table access, laser pointer, powerful vacuum hold-down, low-noise operation and a built-in safety beam. The T3 (Total Tooling Technology) head offers a full package of automatically identifiable tool inserts including a bevel knife and 45-degree 3D cutting tool to address the demands of today’s packaging materials. The optional Mvision-cut optical system features accurate print-to-cut registration and compensates for skew and linear distortion. The Windows front end graphical user interface offers all the tools for an independent off-line production system whilst maintaining compatibility with all major CAD systems. It is also available with an easy-to-use touch screen option.

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THE SCIENCE OF CUTTING The Kuris TexCut High Ply Cutter

Its available in different models to cater for 25 to 80 mm compressed cuts. Applications include the garment, automotive, aviation and aerospace, furniture, construction, boat and railway industries.

The bristle belt provides an effective cutting length of 2.2 metre, 3.5 metre or 4.5 metre. The maximum cutting speed is 45 m/min with positioning speed of 60 m/min. Automatic parallelism monitoring eliminates the need for subsequent manual alignment of the lay

Lectra’s Vector range

Supported by powerful software and intuitive controls, this machine includes appropriate models for automotive, fashion, furniture, and composite material manufacturers. Features include a cutting thickness of up to nine centimetres, vibration frequency of up to 6,000 vibrations per minute, user-friendly controls, enhanced visibility management system and advanced integrated software for the automatic generation of activity reports. With a built-in cutting head camera, the user can locate a precise starting point. By using a colour-coded indicator system at the top of the chimney stack and LEDS on the cutting head, Vector automatically and continuously signals the machine status. Using intuitive touch-control technology the user is guided through the production process, whilst the real-time dashboard provides full visual management of the cutting process.

Macpi Group’s IMA EVO PLUS SERIES

Its a new range that includes the new cutting machine Formula Evo Plus 918. Addressing the needs of industrial fabrics, fashion, furniture, automotive and luggage, Macpi claim to offer solutions suited to individual needs with many dedicated and customised options. The use of the latest generation of electronics is designed to ensure complete digital control of each microoperation providing the capability to adapt its technical and operational characteristics to the different types of fabric and ply height from single ply to six centimetre, compressed, allowing constancy in cutting precision.

Zund makes modular-based single ply cutters, Electric Oscillating Tool, Power Rotary Tool, Driven Rotary Tool and Wheel Knife Tool

selected enabling cutting at speed and high precision of notches, outlines and drill holes, while the material is held firmly in place by a vacuum system which automatically powers on or off as necessary.

Setec

A single ply cutter is available for the technical market, which can cut up to 10 metres wide and even drill through aluminium plates. The use of linear motor drive on magnets makes the machine fast, whilst the elimination of the belt means there is no possible belt stretching. Using vacuum and air pressure the knife glides over the fabric like a hovercraft.

Shanghai Yin Science and Technology Co Ltd.

Designed for use in the apparel, upholstery, technical, automotive and aerospace industries, Pathfinder has recently introduced its new 3, 5, 7 or 10 centimetre lay height capacity M-series flexible material knife cutting system into the European market. The cutter is under 50 per cent the weight of major competitors and bodes well for easy maintenance.

The China-based company is being closely watched by key CAD/cutting companies. It offers an impressive production line integrating CNC cutting machines, intelligent spreading machines, CAD software, and leather cutting machines, rapid garment systems and three-dimensional anthropological measuring systems. These products are widely used for cutting soft textiles for clothing, leather, shoes, luggage, automobile, aviation, aerospace, home furnishing and other industries. It plans to play a leading role in the automated cutting machine industry throughout the world. Its latest automatic cutting machine, the YIN HY-Q Series is aimed mainly at sportswear, knitwear, car interior trim parts and furnishing.

They recently launched the Duet single ply cutter, which will cut many types of material using a two tool head; disk wheel for outline and notches, and a drill for holes. The tool head is automatically

The new Premium Cut ELC single ply cutter is claimed one of the fastest on the market with cutting speeds of up to 150 metres per minute.

With no need for bottom paper or top plastics the

Pathfinder

Plotter Technology Ltd

TopCut Bullmer

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST TEXTILES ISSUE FOUR 2014 / ONE 2015

company claims it can cut a total trouser with 10 corners within seconds using a segmented knife.

The single ply cutter can also be used for cutting carbon fibre and plastic foils, whilst using a router it can also cut wood and other solids including parts for aircraft. An inkjet printer can be added to the cutting head for marking, printing serial numbers, and other notations. If matching of fabric is required, there is an optional matching camera based system, as well as a cradle mechanism for preparing the next ply ready for cutting.

Zund makes modular-based single ply cutters, Electric Oscillating Tool, Power Rotary Tool, Driven Rotary Tool and Wheel Knife Tool.

Although knife cutting is the traditional and most used form of numerically controlled computerised cutting, there are alternative methods.

Laser

Modern woven, spacer fabrics, multilayers, fleece, needle fleece, glass fibre, thermo-resistant and other technical textiles can benefit from being cut by laser, said eurolaser GmbH, who maintain that the contact-less processing via the laser beam and the related non-deforming cutting and high precision, are crucial arguments for the use of laser technology. The laser beam has no tool wear, doesn't need work piece fixing, and offers high precision up to 1/10 mm whilst reducing or eliminating fraying especially when cutting mixed fibres.

Motion-controlled laser cutters

Eurolaser produced XY motion-controlled laser cutters, with 40 per cent of its lasers being sold to the textile industry. These are mainly aimed at the filter and automotive industries for convertible tops, seats as well as for synthetic sportswear and underwear where edge sealing is beneficial. Lasers

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THE SCIENCE OF CUTTING are up to 600W and tables come in widths up to 3.2 metres. For health and safety reasons, laser cutting of PVC is not recommended due to emission of poisonous fumes.

With ‘New Generation’ 3XL-3200, textile sheets up to 3,210 mm wide can be processed. For roll material, an automatic conveyor material feed is available, feeding to the laser cutter directly from the roll and routed after cutting directly to a table extension, meaning cut sections can be almost endless. Bale material is fed via an automatic feeding unit in which the edge controller ensures accurate positioning of the material.

Keehwa Laser Cutting System

Gerber Technology offers this in static or conveyorised forma, powered by Gerber Technology's CutWorks software. The systems are powered using a sealed CO2 laser and integrated with most industry CAD packages. The Keehwa HiCUT C200 laser cutter designed with an integral conveyor cutting table, automatic fabric feeder, and material off-load device, enables cutting and sealing of single-ply materials in one continuous process. A powerful vacuum system holds material firmly in place during laser cutting to ensure precision. The intelligent speed control system monitors productivity and adjusts as necessary.

The laser is suitable for cutting a wide selection of fabrics and materials including those used for upholstery, airbags, jeans, paragliders, parachutes and others.

Lectra’s Focus laser cutting

Specially developed for technical textiles and composite materials, Lectra’s Focus laser cutting has been designed for the filter market, characterised by diverse materials to cut, requiring great flexibility in its production processes. This cutter enables quality cutting, irrespective of the type of technical textiles and composite materials.

Water Jet

The Expert Systemtechnik waterjet cutting systems are characterised by the fact that they operate with extreme precision and cutting speed without changing the properties of the material to be cut. Synthetic leather, leather, plastic, cardboard, rubber and a host of technical materials

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The M Series Gerber Innovations tool can cut a wide range of technical textiles from thin flexible fabrics to hard wood and aluminium

can be cut using water jet technology. There are pros such as minimal water consumption, low tool wear and the extremely hardwearing cutting base resulting in minimal operating costs.

Machines can be equipped with one or more cutting bridges and with one or more water jet nozzles. The size of the cutting table can be adjusted, depending on the size of the materials to be processed. An optional integrated pick-up aid allows for the efficient clearing away of patterns within a short space of time, especially when cutting leather. The water jet cutting systems consist of a high-quality aluminium frame, a quality pump and a powerful cutting head with a selection of various cutting nozzles.

The water jet provides for contactless cutting using XY coordinates at 70 metres per minute. It is a very thin jet, the material being cut does not get wet due to the small amounts used (0.2 litres of water per minute). The material sits on a steel mesh which the water passes through purely by speed, pressure and gravity without the need for any vacuum, and is still clean after cutting so needs no post treatment. If synthetic leather is used up to ten plies thick can be cut.

The main customer for this machine is the automotive, upholstery, textile, shoe or technical market involved with single ply cutting of customer specific orders. The highly energised bundled jet of water is pressed out of a precious stone nozzle with a diametre of between 0.1 and 0.25 mm at a pressure of up to 3,800 bars, adjustable according to the material. In conventional leather cutting, for example, the fine jet of water has a diameter of 0.1 mm – finer than a human hair. This means you do not even have to take this distance into account when positioning the patterns since it is too small.

Cutting accuracy remains constant during the entire cutting process as this is a non-contact

cutting method. The high pressure and the fineness of the nozzle mean the material is cut into directly from above. There is therefore no mechanical displacement. A special cutting surface of steel honeycombs ensures that the leather cannot move after laying down. In addition, adhesion of the leather to the table can be increased by the use of water-soluble glue. The thickness of material which can be cut using water jet technology is determined by the nature of material.

The SM-800-WJ from SMRE Engineering has been developed for the automated 2D or 3D cutting of a wide range of materials using pure water jet technology. The steel and aluminium structure is modular enabling the machine to be configured to meet individual customer’s production requirements. Motion is created by highly efficient brushless servomotors, which run on massive steel racks to guarantee maximum control, speed and acceleration. The water jet beam with diametre of a fraction of a millimetre can cut extremely complex patterns on materials not suitable for cutting with conventional tools. The high speed, extreme precision and very small diametre of the micro jet reduces residual humidity of the materials that are processed whilst the worktop can be equipped with a vacuum system to eliminate water spray and further reduce residual humidity.

Known normally for its design and manufacture of hydraulic and mechanical cutting presses for industries working with flexible and composite materials as well as guillotine and rotating die-cutting machines Suteau Anver are offering the Hydrojet water jet cutting machine.

The machines include a hydro-process high pressure generator and have been developed to cut materials such as rubber, textiles, leather, gaskets, foam materials, plastics, composites, floor coverings, rock wool, pre-impregnated carbon fibre fabric, and others. ❑

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST TEXTILES ISSUE FOUR 2014 / ONE 2015

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Loepfe Brotherrs Ltd. 8623 Wetzikon n/Switzerland

Phone +41 43 488 11 11 Fax +41 43 488 11 03

sales@loepfe.com www.loepfe.com